


hide and seek

by RiiasShorts



Series: Journey to the Center of My Heart [7]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, F/M, Part of a Twitter Fic, tropes galore
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:28:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26590639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiiasShorts/pseuds/RiiasShorts
Summary: this is parts 125-129 and 130-? of my twitter/text fic, "journey to the center of my heart", so read that (linked in author's note) before you read this!
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Journey to the Center of My Heart [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1736482
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33





	1. hide

**Author's Note:**

> yes this is a two chapter installation. chapter two will come tomorrow (9/22)
> 
> here's the beginning of the fic on twitter: [journey to the center of my heart](https://twitter.com/riiasshorts/status/1252711981716508672?s=20)

At this point, she’s desperate. The concierge said he’d left over ten minutes earlier, back the way he came. She could smell him all over the room, and she’s not positive, but she  _ thinks _ it’s fresh. He had left thirty minutes earlier to go to the concierge. It smells… newer… than that.

He’s not where he said he’d be. He’s not in the room. Did he seriously just leave her like that?

* * *

At this point, he’s panicking. He’d left the concierge and made his way back to the room, then rushed out and booked it to the dining room downstairs. Out back was a covered deck, and so he went out there and found a spot along the railing.

It was times like these when he wished he hadn’t quit smoking. He’s way too high-strung right now.

She could be anywhere at this point. Maybe she’s still on her call. Maybe she’s crying alone in their room. Maybe she’s running around the hotel, screaming for him like a banshee.

He’s not sure which option he likes best.

* * *

There are too many scents to pick his out. She’s not a sniffer dog. Bottom line, she can’t life-hack her way into finding him by relying on her omega. 

Where the  _ fuck _ did he go? What happened?

Nothing makes sense right now, but there’s a primal voice in the back of her head practically  _ screaming _ at her to find him. She has to make a conscious effort to not interrogate every person she sees. 

In the lobby, she rushes past a couple alphas. Brothers, judging by their scents. As she passes them, she sees their eyes widen, then narrow, their gazes locked on her.

Oh right.

She’s an unmated omega in distress.

God fucking  _ dammit. _

She’s probably driving every alpha in this place insane. They’re going to have to lock her in her room soon if she doesn’t find Ben  _ right now. _

* * *

The concierge opens the door to the deck and steps out. He’s a beta, and young too. Not what Ben really expected in a sleepy Virginian mountain town.

“That omega yours?” he asks.

God, he’s lucky he didn’t say that in front of Rey. She would have castrated him.

Ben just arches his brow. Looking down at his name tag, he reads “Dio”.

The concierge,  _ Dio, _ shrugs. “Three buns, freaking out, driving all the alphas insane…”

Ben barely suppresses a laugh. “Not mine but she’s with me.”

“What’s the difference?” It’s a, frankly, stupid question. How awful are their designation studies classes out here?

He’s cautious in his answer. “We aren’t mated.”

“Ah. Well, we’d, uh, really appreciate it if you’d calm her down.”

This time, Ben can’t hold in his laugh. The sound he lets out is practically a guffaw. “Can’t do that.”

“Why?” the kid asks incredulously.

“She’s her own person.” Ben shrugs. 

Dio’s features scrunch up. “She’s asking for you.”

Ben doubts it. “Is she really?”

“Well,” he flushes, “not really, but she’s running around, muttering about a man. And Beebee, the receptionist, says you two came in together. Alone.”

Groaning, Ben straightens up. He really doesn’t want to face Rey right now. “Alright,” he sighs.

* * *

Rey returns to the room, about ready to curl up in the bed and cry her eyes out.

She swipes her key in the card reader, waiting for the green light to flash before entering. Stepping inside, she freezes.

Ben is sitting in the chair. In the corner. Just like she left him before taking her call.

“Were you there the whole time?”

He snorts. “No.”

Is that supposed to be soothing? Because it just makes her mad.

Rey can only nod.

* * *

Ben watches her fidget, the door still wide open behind him. He could cut the tension between them with a knife. 

“Come inside, Rey,” he sighs.

Wrong choice of words. She stiffens.

“You disappeared on me, and you have the  _ nerve _ to order  _ me _ around when you decide to be where you said you were going to be?!”

Ben has to admit, she has a point. Calming himself, he breathes deeply. It calms him, but he’s not sure if that’s because of the breath or the inhalation of her scent. 

“Why did you leave?” she asks, her voice  _ so _ much smaller. 

Ben’s heart breaks just a little. “I--”

“I don’t even want to know,” she snaps, shaking her head erratically. “I’m taking a shower.”

Before he even has the chance to respond, she’s locked herself in the bathroom. He’s pretty sure she mutters something along the lines of “I’m not getting paid enough for this” as she brushes past him. 

* * *

The shower helps calm her down, but she’s still mad. 

Even worse, all her clothes probably reek and are in her backpack. Which is on the floor. Next to the chair. 

The chair Ben is currently sitting in. 

Groaning, she just grabs one of the hotel robes off of the hook on the back of the door and ties it securely around her. Sure, maybe she can’t breathe anymore, but she’s covered, at least. More or less.

She grounds herself with a deep breath before wrenching the door open.

* * *

Ben looks up when the squeaky hinges of the bathroom door give away her aggressive entrance. 

Rey marches up to him, a finger coming up to press into his chest.

“Where did you go?” she snarls.

Ben holds up his hands in mock surrender. “Calm down. I went to the concierge, then came back here.” It’s a bold-faced lie.

Rey’s hands curl into fists at her sides. “Liar,” she sneers. 

He deserved that.

“Fine,” he grumbles. “I went outside.”

Backing up, Rey pushes herself up to sit on the edge of the bed. “Why? And why didn’t you answer my texts?”

Oh shit. Right. Her texts.

“I didn’t see them.”

Rey rolls her eyes. He can tell she doesn’t buy it. “And why didn’t you just stay in the room? We have a balcony.”

For whatever reason, Ben’s head turns towards the balcony. “It’s not covered,” he says lamely. 

_ “God,” _ Rey scoffs.

Yeah. He agrees.

* * *

Rey is honestly fed up with the hunk of an alpha in front of her. It’s like they regressed to their immature Twitter confrontation. Definitely not a highlight of their relationship.

“Just  _ tell _ me,” she urges him, trying not to sound like she’s pleading. She can tell he’s holding something back.

It seems like something snaps. “You really want to know, Rey?” he hisses, his amer eyes narrowing dangerously. He’s leaning forward in the chair, and she can’t help but back up. He’s scary when he’s mad.

He gets the message and backs up.

Clearing his throat, he tries again. “Do you really want me to tell you?”

Rey nods.

* * *

Ben lets out a shaky breath. He’s not sure why he offered to tell her. He knew she was going to take him up on it. 

Well, no backtracking now.

“I, uh, heard you.”

He’s purposefully vague, and she’s understandably confused. “What?”

“When you were on the phone with Rose,” he offers like he’s clarifying something. He knows he isn’t really.

* * *

Rey scoffs. “Yeah, I got that part. What did you hear, though?”

Scrutinizing Ben, she can tell he’s purposely avoiding answering her question. The truth is that she’s not trying to be nosy; she just can remember several things she said that could be taken a variety of ways out of context. If he overheard the wrong thing, their entire relationship, as weird and ambiguous as it is, could go down the drain.

Which would suck since they’re about to be stuck in the same bed for… an unknown amount of time. And then they’ll have the entire northern half of the trail to hike. 

Yeah. She needs to make sure he didn’t overhear the wrong part, even though the fact that he’s been hiding from her since she got off the phone is proof enough that that’s exactly what happened and he hates her now.

For once in her life, she and her omega agree: this is  _ bad. _

* * *

Ben takes a deep breath. Part of him wishes he had just answered her texts because maybe then he wouldn’t have to tell her this in person.

* * *

Rey watches him breathe. There’s no way he can’t scent the way her anxiety is rapidly overtaking her. It’s hijacked her lungs and commandeered her thoughts. 

* * *

He  _ has _ to say it. He knows he does.

* * *

Oh  _ god, _ why did she tell Rose all of it? She knew he could have come back in the room.  _ Stupid. _

* * *

Fucking hell, why did he just  _ waltz _ back into the room? He could hear her on her call.  _ Idiot. _

* * *

“I heard you say you want to fuck me!” he blurts. 

There.

He said it.


	2. seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chapter twoooo
> 
> CW: rey accidentally flashes ben but he handles it well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...oh...oh do you hear that? is that...? is that the angst train? 
> 
> (all aboard)
> 
> ALSO it is 12:24 am so i apologize for not actually getting this up on the 22nd but uh i tried my best?

Rey knows her mouth is wide open. She knows she probably looks like a really lethargic fish with the way she can’t get her jaw off the floor. She  _ also _ knows that that was the opposite of what she was expecting him to say.

“So you  _ ran away from me?” _

What the literal fuck?

He’s an alpha, right? Ruled by pheromones and biology and need. Hell, omegas are the same way, and if their roles had been reversed, she would have jumped his bones the  _ second _ he came out of the bathroom.

So why didn’t he?

At least he seems embarrassed about it. “Er, yeah. Sorry about that.”

Nevermind. Fuck this guy, except not literally because  _ fuck this guy. _

_ “‘Sorry about that?’” _ she scoffs in disbelief.

Turning, she tries to take a stride back over to the bed, but the movement tweaks her ankle, and she yelps. Gritting her teeth, she hobbles until she can throw herself onto the mattress, then lifts her leg.

Oh god.

Her ankle is swollen, a nasty bruise blooming around her fibula. “Shit,” she hisses, recognizing the severity of the sprain she, like an amateur, never treated.

Sparing a glance at Ben, she can see his eyes wide with something like fear. “Can I help?” he asks frantically, standing to come look at her injury.

“I think the ice dispenser is down the hall,” Rey says, trying to breathe. “Can you go grab some?”

Ben nods and rushes to grab the little metal wine-holder from the kitchenette. While he’s gone, Rey hops to her backpack and grabs her arnica, an ointment she’s found to be very useful for bruises. She hopes it’ll make even a  _ dent _ in the swollen, purple garishness that’s blooming on her ankle. 

While she’s alone, her mind wanders. How did she manage to run around the hotel without noticing the pain? Normally, she could barely walk on a sprain- her pain tolerance is mediocre at best- but today she managed to cover the entire hotel in only a little bit of time.

Her thoughts refocus when Ben gets back with ice, which she tells him to wrap in a towel and give to her. This isn’t her first rodeo, so she knows to get her foot elevated and iced, even though she should have done this the second they got to the room. 

Finally, they’re settled, and Rey turns back to Ben. 

“So you ran away because I said I want to fuck you?” Direct, straight to the point. She needs to get it through this dumbass alpha’s head that  _ she is getting an answer. _

* * *

Ben cringes at her tone, his alpha’s faint voice warning him of an upset omega. What’s worse, though, is that said upset omega is also  _ hurt. _ And she smells goddamn incredible. What the fuck kind of bodywash did she use in the shower? It’s  _ heavenly. _

Shaking himself out of his reverie, Ben looks up at her, pulling his gaze from the spot on the carpet he was staring at, up the bed, up her body, and to her face. “I just… I panicked, I guess.”

Rey’s brows furrowed. “Why did you panic? Were you not- I don’t know-  _ excited?” _

“I was,” Ben admits, “and that was the problem. This is a business deal.”

He watches in horror as she shrinks in front of him, her arms crossing in front of her chest and her knees curling towards her stomach. Her face scrunches up, and her scent goes wild, screaming at him to comfort the distressed omega.

At the same time, the way she lifted her legs made her robe slip down her thighs. Underneath, skin is revealed: bronze thighs, defined and sculpted with the muscles of an experienced hiker, the curve of her ass, supple and practically made for grabbing, and a thatch of brown hair that obscures a part of her he spends  _ far _ too much time trying not to think about.

His instincts are at war. Half of his alpha is desperate to explore the area of her body she’s inadvertently revealed; the other half is furious at him for upsetting her. 

Thankfully, logic kicks in. He can’t in good conscious follow this idea of fucking her while she’s obviously in distress.

“What is it, Rey?” he coos, leaning forward. He wishes he could curl up next to her on the bed and gather her in his arms, but he really doesn’t think that would fly. They’ve kissed, sure, but they still feel weirdly like friends. She had been remarkably casual about his inconvenient boner a couple weeks back, but she had admitted to him later that she’s always found herself comfortable discussing sex with people she shouldn’t really talk about it with, so he wrote it off as her being nonchalant. Whether or not she really meant it as an advance or not, it feels wrong somehow to get so intimate with her while she’s so vulnerable.

Her eyes peer up at him, doubt and hurt clouding the brightness he usually sees there. 

She breaks down in tears.

* * *

She tried to tell him, she really did. But the second she looked up at her face, a whole new wave of rejection overtook her.

_ Alpha doesn’t want me. _

His words cycle through her head. It’s a  _ problem _ that she wants him. This is nothing but a  _ business deal. _

Rey, meet reality.

It hurts like a bitch.

* * *

_ Shitshitshitshit! _

He honest to god has no idea what he did wrong. All he knows is that Rey is now even more distressed and his alpha is even more pissed at him.

“Rey,  _ please,” _ he begs in a display of submission he knows is uncommon for an alpha. 

She only shakes her head before tucking it between her knees and chest.

Well.

Fuck.

He can only watch her cry, his heart breaking. It’s impossible to sit and watch it happen knowing he’s the cause.

After a minute of painful near-silence, she turns her head to wipe her face against the fabric of the robe where it’s draped over her arm. In that moment, he realizes she’s muttering something. Leaning towards her, he strains to hear.

“...doesn’t want me,” he picks up. Then, “...just a  _ business deal…” _

_ Oh shit.  _

Yeah. He can totally see how she took that the wrong way.

Trying desperately to soothe and provide, his hindbrain urges him towards her while some distant voice screams at him to  _ find a damn blanket and cover her up. _

In a frantic moment, he darts over to the linen closet and grabs a blanket, then dashes towards the bed. He tucks the blanket around her shaking form, trying to touch her no more than is strictly necessary. 

“Rey, no.”

She looks up at him, her face streaked with tears. “What?” she warbles.

“I do want you,” he whispers, a tentative thumb coming up to wipe the wetness from her cheeks. 

Her eyes widen. “You do?”

Ben nods, the hand that was wiping her tears moving to instead cup her cheek. The way she gasps is almost childlike. His eyes tracking her every microexpression, he smiles sadly. “I said the wrong thing,” he admits, “but I didn’t mean it like that.”

Rey sniffles. “Oh,” she breathes, using the blanket to wipe away the last of her tears.

“Yeah,” he whispers. His thumb drags across her cheekbone and down to her lips, chapped yet plush. Her tongue darts out to wet them, accidentally catching his fingertip, but, even when she tries to pull away bashfully, his gaze holds steady. Carefully watching her for any sign of discomfort or hesitation, he presses the tip of his thumb against her lips. Her expression near-innocent, she opens her lips just slightly, allowing him to breach her mouth. Ben shifts his hand to curl under her chin but keeps his thumb in her mouth, reveling in the feeling of her hot, wet tongue licking gently at it. 

“Will you listen to me?”

Rey nods, not even attempting to speak around his finger. His alpha preens at her submission, but he knows she knows that it’s not usual for her. He knows she’s trusting him with a side of her he hasn’t seen yet. 

He takes a deep breath before beginning. “I came back from the concierge and heard you talking. I couldn’t hear the words, only noises, so I sat in that chair,” he explains, nodding towards the chair in the corner he’s been settling in, “and checked my Twitter. But then I heard you say you wanted to fuck me, only because you got louder. It was everything I’d been wanting to hear you say, but I felt like I’d violated your privacy. I was too into the idea, though. I knew I had to give you your space. So I ran out to the dining room deck.”

He watches her brows furrow in thought as he speaks, her lust-clouded brain working double-time to keep up with his explanation. 

“I’m sorry,” he tells her, ducking his head so he can press his forehead against hers. Her face is too close for him to see clearly, but her eyes are wide and imploring. There’s a heat rising on her cheeks, one that he can feel as his other hand settles on the curve of her jawline. 

Her tongue pushing against his thumb tears him from his foggy mindset. Catching her message, he pulls his finger from her mouth, allowing her to speak.

“I’m sorry I chased you,” she starts. Ben opens his mouth to counter her, but she stops him by pressing her index finger to his mouth. Mimicking his earlier actions, she slides her finger between his lips, giggling as he flicks at it with his tongue. “I just… I don’t like being left. And I didn’t understand why. I just knew I had to find you.”

Sorrow floods Ben’s emotions. He pulls her finger out of his mouth by wrapping a hand around her wrist and tugging on it. “It’s okay. I shouldn’t have left.”

Things feel clearer now. They’re both admitted their wrongs, though Ben sees little wrong with what Rey did, and their focus shifts back to just the two of them. Rey’s hazel eyes are locked on Ben’s, and she blinks dreamily at him. This close, he can smell the way her scent is permeating the air and his body, seeping into his skin. Only when it reaches his hindbrain does he realize why he’s been so attuned to it today.

She’s hours away from her heat. He can feel it now, the rapidly-approaching instinctual lust that’s so close to overtaking them both. When he looks to her, he sees in her eyes that she knows. Emotions flit rapidly across her face: anticipation, excitement, fear, arousal. He’s not sure which one is the most prevalent in her mind until her expressions settle in a caricature of worry. 

“What do we do, Alpha?” she whispers, her eyes wide and trusting as she looks to him to take care of her. 

His instincts kick into high gear. He’s never done this before, but he knows exactly what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hahahaha you hate me now don't you? two cliffhangers in a row because i apparently have a death wish

**Author's Note:**

> a hotel staffed by droids? it's more likely than you think.


End file.
